The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-13
A MOTHERS STORY.

"The young man you met ut the
gate, sir? Yes, that is my sonny
boy, Jack.
"You noticed the scars on his face,
and thought, maybe, that they spoilt
features meant to be handsome?
All, sir! that was because you did
not know. Why, those red marks
make him more beautiful to me now
than when baby in my arms, with
yellow curls and laughing eyes and q
skin like rose-leaf; the people hurry
ing in and out OF the trains would
burn to look and smile at him. and
praise him to each other, speaking
low, maybe, but not too low for @
mothers quick, proud ears to hear.
"For we lived in q little house close
by the station, and when ! heard the
whistle OF his fathers train, I used to
snatch the boy from his cradle or of
the floor where he sat with his little
playthings, md run down to the far
ther end OF the long depot where the
engine always halted to get the smile
and flowing word that my heart lived
on all the day.
mot least bit afraid was the baby
Of all the whis.ling and changing OF
bells. the groaning OF the wheels and
putting oil the steam. He would laugh
and spring so in my arms that I could
scarcely hold him, till his father would
reach down sometimes and lift
him up in the engineers cab and kiss
him for one precious minute and then
toss him down to me again.
when he grew little older he was
never playing horse or soldier
like the other little fellows around; it
was always q railroad train that he
was driving. All the smoothest strips
OF my billets OF kinding wood went to
build tracks over the kitchen floor,
hither and thither, crossing and re-
crossing each other.
"Don't move my switch, mother,
dearl' he used to cry out tom me. You
will wreck my train, for sure'
$50 had to go softly about my
work with scarce a place sometimes to
set my foot. And all the chairs in
the house would be- ranged for cars,
the big rocker, with the tea bell tied
to its back, for the engine; and there
he would sit perched up by the hour,
making believe attend to the valves
and shouting to the fireman.
81 shall never forget the first time
his father took him to ride on the en-.
CINE
"Jack had begged over and over to
70, but his father always babe him
wait until he was older. So / said:
on'ttease father any more, Jack
DEAR and like q true little heart that
be was, be had not said another word
about ID for matter OF six months
or more.
"But that day such q wistful look
came into bis face, and he pulled him
sell up tall and straight, and said
quite softly, his voice trembling lit
tie, Father, do you think | am grown
enough now?'
"Lookinp at him, saw tears in his
pretty eyes. think his father saw
them, too, for he turned to me in q
hurry and said:
We meet the up train at Langton,
Mary, and Will Brown will bring the
little chap back all straight, know.
What do you say2'
"What could i say but yes? At
supper-time he was back. but he could
not eat. His eyes were like stars, and
there was O hot, red spot on each
cheek, so that feared he would be i'll.
AID thought he would never he done
talking, but now he had said scarce a
word. -,
"'What was IL like, Jackie?' ask
ed him.
40, motherl' he said, it wasn't like
HE sat for a moment thinking, then
be said, Unless it was like-you read
last Sunday
"And what was that, Jack?' in
quired. for / had forgotten.
Don't you know, mother9 The
wings OF the windl'
THAT was not his last ride on the
engine by many times, for as he grew
older. his father would take him often
on Saturdays or other half-holidays.
He was perfectly trusty and obedient.
/ believe he would have had his right
hand cut of sooner than have meddled
vii b anything.
"But be knew every valve and screw
aud gauge, and watched every turn OF
bis fathers hand, and learned the sig
mails all along the iine,so that my hus-
hand said to me more than once: